It was public holiday in Czech republic on thursday 17th of November so I take one day off(friday) and spent two days (since afternoon of 18th of November till morn ing of 20 of November) birding in Rugen island in Germany.

Rugen is biggest German island with total area of about 1000 square kilometers. Main gate to the Rugen island and also for birding in Rugen is city of Stralsund which is just next to the island. As I was here on November it was very short days. Sund was rising at 8a.m. and sunset was at about 4p.m. Which means just 8 hours of daylight. I was moving from one place to another in the island. I was unlucky as it was quite foggy during my visit in the island.

All the sea betwen the island of Rugen and the mainland is very shallow. Also the water betwen  Rugen and the island of Hiddense (which bird nature reserve) is very shallow. Rugen is well know as a stop over for cranes during their migration. During autumn there should as much as 50000 cranes. It is biggest stop over in this part of Europe. Best time of the year to see cranes is August till October and again March. You can find more information about cranes in Germany on this internet adress ( http://www.kraniche.de/ )  There is an information crane centrum in the village of Groß Mohrdorfu. This village is about 14kilometers from Stralsund on the mainland. There is also possibility to rent photohide to photograph cranes. You can find more info on the adress above ( but the information are just in German language). I was in Rugen island on half of november so it was quite late for the cranes.

All the sea around island of Rugen was very good for the birds. Best places which I have found were following:

Southern seaside of the island Rugen around villages Gustow and Gleiwitz. There were big flocks of various ducks especially goldeneyes, red-breasted mergansers, wigeons, smews, swans and mallards. All the area betwen Rugen and mainland is worth for a look for some possible rarities on the sea.

Area around village of Glowe was very productive for red-breasted mergansers and goldeneyes. This area is a part of Nationalpark Jasmund.

Nonnensee.This lake was made in 1994 when the dranige pump which drained the whole area was brookend and it was decided not to repair it. This lake is situated north of the intersection between E22 and the road from Bergen to Gingst. There is a parking space just next to the road. Just next to the parking space there is a cormoran colony. There is a road around the lake which is about 5 kilometers long. The lake produced a lot of birds like smew, garganey, teals, goldeneyes, cormorants, eagle, swans and much more.

Sea between the villages of Grabitz and Ginst. I was unlucky as I was in this part on Saturday when it was misty and I could see just around 50-100 meters from me. Even with this handicap I could see wigeons,teals, goldeneyes and hear swans and euroasian curlews. I was just for the short visit in this area on Sunday mornign when it was sunny and nice weather and the concetration of wildfowl was very big with canada geese , lapwing, gooses etc.

Area around the village of Dranske. On the open sea it was not possible to see a lot of birds as it was quite windy. Most of the birds were on the bay which was betwen Rugen and Hiddensee.

All the area of island Rugen and Hiddensee and part of island of Zingst is part of National Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft as it is official name of national parc. It is one of the best area to see wintering birds in the area of Baltic sea.

Red-breasted merganser is the most common duck on the sea around Rugen

Area around the village of Glowe where I tried to photograph red-brested mergansers

Great black backed gull, herring gulls was the most common gulls around Rugen.

Mute swan

Great black-backed gull

Smews and wigeon on the sea bay.

Sea betwen Rugen and Hiddensee

Canada goose

Sea side

List of seen species: As I had just limited time I didnt see for the small birds.

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Comments

•   |88.102.67.xxx |09.12.-2011 (20:42:52) Michal Šindel
  Fotky super, zajímavé světlo, ale ten mladý racek mořský je racek stříbřitý.
  Reply

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